West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1887-01-13
THE P0STMISTRESS.
by sIBELIA y. rpoCoNr

BY sIBELLA Il. EDGCoME.
"Muflins and crumpots made IN mr.
der " Thus ran the written notice
penued, to1, in characters nearly nm.
proac hing half-text. stuck up i'm ono Of
street man
Inc unimportant village OF "fnmmer.
ton lay somewhat far away from any
town, ana therefore did fair amount OF
steady going business on its own ac-
count Foremost of all ranked the re
postory, or store, rented by Janet isle
IN winch she soil stationery. newspa
PeIS, the magazines of the day if duly
ordered In time, besides n variety of usc.
iui ODDS and ends She was also the viii
lage postmistrcss, and carried ont the du.
ties OF her Office with marked regard 10
prompttndc. In each of these p,Irsuits
however, She was aided by her nrctty
ana Winsome niece, Elsie Falconbridoc
In all reality, Elsie was more mistress
Oh the postal department than Janet
Llsie herself 1t was sh, who ordinarily
undertook the dispatch OF TINT twicc.r-
day letter-bag. bcstOwing upon each mis-
S.Ve previously the du oFciaI stamn-
marx ", anct lisIe's right hand. IN
Iact, as every one said. She. too il was
VINO made the mu Tins and crumpets
mu III and crumpets which were so non.
9lar IN the village that no one ever
ureamt OF having tea party without
"'So havng 'mu inns and crumpcts" To
match.
'Oblige me with two. cent s,arnr
Mss raIconbridge, won't you." and a
WH"t el ierly man at that moment
S'nred her IN the face this necessarily
however through the gap made i'm the
,e VIC ,etWork marking of the space al .
io,.eu 10 the postollice department
1ne handed him what he required.
said. 'N'oi'' "''o' nc
Again she had fulfilled his request
Thank you, and without more odo
ne deposited twenty dollar note within
the same.
"AIl right" he soliloouizod ne old
gentlemen are so fond ofdoing Come
that's done, at any rate" he added in
sell -congratulatory fashion.
Ihen came aloud questioningly:
IN the letter box?--or shall I leave i,
with youp '1'' 'o''e 1t
You caa leave it here, sir" an-
swered Elsie, quietly.
Others were now coming in fast. de-
mandlng this and that, and in adoDtin,
calm exterior lay her only chance of nj.
tenulng nightly TO each petitioner.
janet Llsle also was unusually busy
tnSt afternoon. Miss Veal the richest
old lady in the parish, gave large tea
party that very evening, aud mullins and
crumpets were accor iingly being sent off
IN startllngly large quantities.
is there any letter waiting for me to.
day, please" asked a somewhat tiuid
voice few minutes later on
NO, Miss Josephine, nothing
~ am sorry. LisappointinP-is it
Inc two speakers seemed fully to com.
prehend each other. There existed nm
parently, sort Of pleasant sympathy be-
tween ,hem.
Both were pretty. Both looked cool
and also thoroughly in earnest. ONLY
that the assistant p1stmistress apDearcd
tull of brightness and life. and the o,rl
now facing her wore the aspect Of bein0
tired Of lie already.
Yes, very. ] am sorry too
hank you. You are always kind
VIII look in again Tomorrow, if my doing
30 VIII not trouble you too much.
Not at all Miss Josephine"
Ihe last named was already moving
away to make room for some one else
Elsie Falconbridgs had, however. not
yet completed her business with tho late
lawyers daughter.
unite she whispered "tako nv
place here for amomentn
Janet Isle nodded in assent
do come in here an instant with me
won you" and Elsie slime that Miss
Josephine should accompany her into the
coy back parlOr where all was now i'm
readiness fof tea. "The fact is. Miss
Josephine. I've done the most stupid
thing Imaginable 20 day made n mis-
take and prepared nearly twice the nun
Der OF crumpets that will be yauteI by
anybody. Ism 10 absurd Of mcf You
won't mind--nO, Pm sure Won won't
troubc2'
but how" came. hositatinolv. in re-.
sponsc Then came ah so bravcIv for
10 is ever difficult TO tell the prain frutb
In such matters -"I can't ms ouite
impossible. We have no money. Don't
you understand"
Absurd % was the in.c-ruption
"Why it's favor I'm asking Of vol
don't yOu soel knew you would be in
TO day, for certain. and would bcfriepd
me. It's only that ] want YOU. If YOU
don't mind the trouble. to carry home
dozen or so 20 your sweet mother Mauvs
the dozen she las ordered from us in the
past. when, perhaps, we haven't been
able t) supply her Cnc can FORGET
That fact, you know, iu n hurry So
there they are, Miss Jo.ephinc. all hot
md ready -buttnrcd, for ! don't think you
would know how 20 do 10 yourself. You
I had better 20 ont thi. Wav bv tho side.
door. and then no one will be the wiser
Tor the favor you yo done me-"
For one brief instant her worn. pale
faced companion had bent down i'm
pusivcly and l8il her own soft check
against fl,ic's, and the next VIII hllly un
able to speak, she had disappouod
"A rather heavier mail bag tonight
than usual wasnfit. ElsioW
''lcs. aunt 1ha you for doing it
up for me AZ any rate. the registered
! letters did not occupy you long while. 80